South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Reacts to 2024 Pay Award

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent has reacted to the 4.75% pay rise award for police officers in 2024.

He said: “I want to make it clear to bystanders who may mistakenly think that the pay rise is above inflation and generous that Police Pay has been decimated in the last decade resulting in our Police being some of the poorest paid on average in the G7, and this does not yet repair that shortfall.

“That being said it would be unrealistic to expect a new Government to totally repair that damage in the first month of being in office. What the Government has done is essence is accepted all the different sectors pay recommendations.

“However, we now need the Government to engage with us on how the pay mechanism for police is improved going forward as being below every other public sector AGAIN shows the pay review body is not fit for purpose.

“Our officers have voted on binding arbitration with a view to seeking industrial rights down the road. We also need a medium term plan to repair the damage to police pay as even with this rise some of our officers will still be struggling following those years of real terms cuts to police pay.

“I am very disappointed however that our pay is lacking behind some of our colleagues in other public sectors who have seen higher pay based on their pay and review recommendations.

“I want to make it clear that it’s not about levelling them down, it’s about us being levelled up, because what isn’t reported and I can say with confidence supported by statistics, that since 2010 no other public sector has seen the pay and conditions degradation that has been seen in policing and even though slight, this continues that comparative pay gap.

“This shows more than ever the need to press on with the seeking of industrial rights for which this branch has been front and centre from the beginning of that campaign.”